Don’t Get Hooked by Online Phishing Expeditions

Phishing attacks are not new to people. Phishing attacks have plagued individuals and businesses for years. 

According to a report in 2020, around 22%t of data breaches are caused by phishing attacks. 

With the number of phishing emails containing malicious links and malware increasing every  day, it is critical that businesses understand the signs of phishing. It is important to keep a multi-tiered check at each level of the system. 

At SkySail Technologies we work tirelessly so that your business is secured by building a firewall against digital hazards like cyber-attacks. Our robust Security Operations Center (SOC)  and Network Operations Center (NOC) help us monitor and track phishing attacks in a timely manner. (Book a Tech Discovery call to learn more)

What is Phishing?

Phishing attacks are strategies used by cybercriminals to trick businesses and individuals into sharing sensitive information and credentials or installing malware in a device by means of electronic communication. Let’s look at how a typical phishing attack works.

You will receive a deceptive serious-looking professional email with a legitimate title saying 

“Warning: You Must Update Your Account Immediately or your account will stand suspended”. In the mode of panic, you will open the email and see legitimate logos and links.

With just a click you may unleash a payload of malware that will cause havoc to your operating system and networks. It can log keystrokes; compromise security or it might remain dormant and replicate and spread through the network. Only a perfectly curated strategy and the right data recovery and disaster management plan from SkySail Technologies can help your business fight against such phishing expeditions. Here is the gist about various phishing types to help you take the right steps.

Types of phishing

Phishing can be categorized into these three types:

1. Spear phishing: It is a personalized phishing attack that attacks an individual or a group using personal details.
2. Whaling: This type of phishing is a sophisticated type of phishing that targets a high-profile victim within a company like a CEO or CFO and acquires sensitive information of the company.
3. Mass-scale phishing: This is not a highly targeted attack but affects a wide net.

Businesses must be extremely vigilant about whaling; the emails or calls are designed to look as if they have come from someone senior in the company. Always be on the lookout for such attacks and before sharing any bank information double check whether the matter is legitimate.

Protecting your business from a phishing attack

Awareness and vigilance are the key factors in protecting your business from phishing attacks. Education about phishing scams is the main defense against such attacks. Indeed, education is necessary, but the fight against cyber-crime can be successful only with a two-pronged strategy. 

The first is training employees and the second is powerful anti-phishing software. Installing cloud-based email protection methods and email filters prevent malicious emails entering servers in the first place. Even if the filter is bypassed the damage done will be minimal. Having your Anti-virus software up to date not only protects your business from phishing but also any other cyber threats.

Installing a VPN to handle sensitive functions like bank transactions is advised to prevent the leaking of credentials. Never use a public network to handle any private or confidential information.

Conclusion

As said earlier phishing attacks can extract potentially sensitive company information, and if the server is unprotected the recovery and damage could be significant. We at SkySail Technologies are well equipped with the latest technology trends and hazards. Our well-trained experts can overcome any of these challenges. Our team is highly reliable, passionate, skilled, transparent, and above all is compassionate about our customer’s needs. Contact us today to ensure your server is protected around the clock.